South Lake Union Streetcar

This afternoon, the South Lake Union Streetcar was being unloaded from a trailer on Terry Ave and Republican Way. I was caught off guard by this for two reasons. 1) It was on a trailer and it was already previously delivered. 2) It was coming off the trailer on battery power.

I think the highlight of this slow process is when one of the Inekon Tram folks said jokingly “Where are the brakes?” I didn’t stop by the maintenance facility but this appears to be the first Streetcar with decals and it’s Sponsorships on the side of the tram. Several King County Metro bus drivers were along for the ride as well. They were on a mission and went up for Coffee to allow the ramp to be cleared near the Maintenance Facility and did some car testing between Westlake and South Lake Union before putting the Streetcar away.

The South Lake Union Streetcar is slated to start operations on December 14th, 2007 between Westlake Center and Fred Hutchison Research Center in South Lake Union. Let’s hope this starts a revolution and get the Streetcar out to the University of Washington and Children’s Hospital in Laurelhurst